The Spider and the Fly
by TheLonelyMan
Summary: A story that takes place in the middle of the main campaign, focusing primarily on Tracer and Widowmaker as they seek the truth behind the latter's origins.
1. Chapter 1

It was done.

In the midst of the shadow war between the terrorist organization Talon and the global defense alliance Overwatch, a major victory was scored by the latter in the form of a coded message sent to Athena, the AI responsible for linking all Overwatch personnel. Winston, the chief coordinator and dispatcher for operations and logistics, was summoned to decipher it.

"Greetings. If you are not an agent of Overwatch, destroy this message at once. I am a high-ranking operative of Talon with valuable intelligence concerning their research and development division. I am willing to provide this information on one condition: that I be allowed to enter any Overwatch base of my choosing without resistance. Once inside, I demand protection until Talon is defeated. You have exactly 36 hours to respond."

Winston weighed the pros and cons of the situation in his endlessly calculating mind. If he accepted the agent's offer, Overwatch could finally learn about the deadly weapons and genetically-engineered abominations Talon was rumored to be churning out. For all his genius, Winston had been unable to find any details of these projects, giving the enemy an advantage that more than made up for any battlefield losses.

But then again, he could be walking into a trap. What if the agent chose the central hub, where every member of Overwatch kept a room? They could stall for time with false intelligence while planting a bomb or some kind of bio-weapon that would kill each and every one of them. Such an attack would deprive the Earth of the only force that could challenge Talon. Winston was 90% certain that this was the plan.

But what of the remaining 10%? Overwatch was winning the fight, but the war was far from over. The big ape knew that he couldn't pass up this chance, even if it proved to be untrue.

He quickly typed out a reply. "This is Winston of Overwatch. I accept your offer without hesitation and am ready to conduct negotiations."


	2. Chapter 2

After several back-to-backs, Winston reached a deal with the operative. As he suspected, the operative wanted to decamp at the main hub and meet with Athena personally to deliver the promised intelligence. Fearing an attempt to cripple her capabilities, Winston insisted that he assign a trusted agent to watch the defector at all times. Despite some initial reservations, his condition was accepted.

For his final communication, Winston set a date and time for the defector to arrive: Wednesday at midnight sharp. That gave him plenty of time to prepare the hub for any surprises.

The first matter to address was who would be chosen to serve as the escort. Winston instructed Athena to pull up the status of all active agents and seated himself before the keyboard.

Hanzo was his first choice, but he and his brother Genji were currently off the grid conducting deep cover assaults against Talon bases in South Asia. McCree? He had just been sidelined by an injury and would need at least a month to recover. Lucio was available, but Winston doubted he had the experience to handle a dangerous veteran of Talon. Then a name popped up: Tracer, Winston's old friend and the only agent he trusted to fight alongside him. Since she relied on his expertise to keep her power harness functional, Tracer rarely strayed far from the hub. She was also by far one of the most accomplished agents the alliance had ever seen.

Winston made his choice. "Tracer, come in. Return to the hub for a special mission."

Suddenly, a flash of blue light streaked behind him. The spiky hair, orange tights, and faint smell of spiked tea was unmistakable.

"Hello, love.", she blurted out in her syrupy cockney accent. Try all he might, Winston could never fully understand her slang.

"Thanks for the timely arrival, Tracer. Now listen carefully. A high-level Talon operative is defecting to our side, and they've promised us vital intelligence if we protect them from retaliation. I need you to provide an escort until a more appropriate detail can be arranged."

"Understood, Win! When's the lucky bastard arriving?"

"Tomorrow at midnight. We need to set up a room and clear the doorway before then. I trust you're willing to help?"

"Yes, sire!"


	3. Chapter 3

As the minutes ticked by, Winston scrambled to finish his preparations. He uploaded new security protocols to Athena as protection against viruses, turned on the motion sensors in the ducts and floor panels, and made sure the monitors were recording. If this really was a trap, he had to be on his guard.

Tracer stood by the entrance, checking her guns. She seemed eager for a fight.

Suddenly, one of the monitors detected a small helicopter flying over the hub. _A strike team? A drone strike?_

Instead of descending, the chopper picked up speed and vanished over the horizon. _Must be a false alarm._

Just then, a creaking of gears could be heard as the main door began to slide open. Tracer whipped out her weapons, keeping them aimed firmly at the entrance.

A shadowy figure stepped forward. Thin, sleek, and dominating, the defector was clad in a bodysuit of purple, mounted atop two prosthetic legs sheathed in heeled boots. The front of the suit was open, exposing bright blue skin and a long tail of purple hair, kept in place by a visor studded with red eyeholes. Piercing yellow eyes shot forward as the outline of a sniper rifle strapped to her back came into view.

There was no question: the defector was Widowmaker, the most lethal assassin Talon had ever created.

Winston jumped down from the rafters. "So you're the defector. Interesting. Care to explain before we blow you away?"

Widowmaker stopped dead in her tracks, the smirk never leaving her lips. "You promised me safe haven, didn't you? So long as I uphold my end of the bargain, there is nothing to explain."

"Even if you knew anything about Talon's scientific research, what makes you think we would just believe you came here, the lair of your enemy, to share it?"

"Because I want to retire from this ceaseless conflict. And you're the only ones who can help me."


	4. Chapter 4

As Widowmaker settled into her room, Winston and Tracer huddled with Athena in the former's office.

"I have analyzed the Widowmaker's equipment, including her prosthetics. I detect no trackers, jammers, or any sort of electronic device that could be used for either location or interference."

"What about explosives or chemicals?"

"Negative."

"Biological agents?"

"Also negative."

"Any movement in the exterior or interior of the hub?"

"Negative, Winston."

"Maybe she's telling the truth, Win."

"I just find it hard to believe that an agent created for the sole purpose of killing our brethren is suddenly looking for a way out."

"Should I send out a request for assistance?"

"No. We've beaten her before. Continue to scan for any intrusion."

"What should we do?"

"For now, we humor her. If she's planning to sabotage our mainframe or some other dirty trick, we'll send her packing. But at the very least, we should find out if her "intelligence" is legitimate."

Under Tracer's watchful eye, Winston led Widowmaker to a secure holding cell for questioning.

"What exactly do you know about Talon's science division? Are they creating new weapons to use against us? Does any of it involve the omnics?"

"I'm afraid I only know of one specific project my employers are working on."

"What is it?"

"They want to create more of me."

Tracer looked like she would have spat out her tea if she had any. Winston just sat back in stunned silence. On her own, Widowmaker had proven herself one of Overwatch's most deadly and lasting foes. A whole army could overwhelm the entire force in a matter of weeks.

"How are they doing this? Some kind of cloning technology?"

"That I do not know. The only other bargaining chip I have is a name."

"Who?"

"Dr. George Edison."

With that, Winston stormed out before Tracer could stop him.


	5. Chapter 5

As soon as Winston stopped sulking around, Tracer worked up the courage to speak.

"What's wrong, Win? Who's this Edison fellow?"

"Dr. George Edison is a old colleague of my human father, Harold Winston. They studied together at university, but ending up working for different firms. Even so, they stayed in touch for years, always working out different problems and speculating about the future of genetics. I always wanted to meet Dr. Edison, but...well, you know what happened."

"I'm sorry. I didn't know."

"It's not your fault. Neither me nor my father knew that he was working for criminal scum like Talon. God knows what they let him get away with."

"What are we going to do now? We can't just let Talon have more of those bloody spiders!"

"We have to investigate. Athena can trace Dr. Edison to his last known location."

"I already have. According to government files and intercepted correspondence, he last worked at a lab in Central Europe owned by a shell corporation controlled by Talon."

"Tracer, I'm sending you to find Dr. Edison. I will remain here to assist you."

"What about Widowmaker?"

"It's too risky to keep her here. She'll have to accompany you."

"What!"

"Seeing as how Dr. Edison's work concerns a major investment for Talon, I suspect you may encounter their forces along the way. If Widowmaker really does want to reform, she'll have to prove it."

"You sure she won't just kill me?"

"I trust you can handle it. Since this is technically an illegal operation, special precautions are warranted. Go fetch Widowmaker and meet me in my office."


	6. Chapter 6

The two girls reported to Winston just as he got off the computer. "Before I was separated from my father, I saw to it that a special fund was established in his honor at the university where he trained. That fund provides scholarships to young students to programs all over Europe dedicated to the advancement of genetic science. One such program, the School of Diversity and Bio-Research at the University of Zurich, is located a day and a half from Edison's lab."

"With Athena's help, I've created cover identities for the two of you to enter Switzerland without alerting the authorities." He handed a holo-card to Tracer. "For you, Tracer, I've listed the alias of "Jackie Weiler". Widowmaker is your roommate, exchange student "Marie Lefarge" of France."

"You do realize she's a bit old to be in school, Win?"

"Let's not get ageist, Tracer. Once you reach your destination, you only have so much time before your absence is noted. You need to find what you're looking for and fast. Now go and get ready. Your flight is tomorrow morning at ten."

Tracer went to her quarters and stripped down, taking off everything except for her life-sustaining harness. A bundle of clothes was slipped under her door, and she put them on before checking herself in the mirror. A beige sweater and dress, baggy enough to hide the harness without discomforting her. Tracer also smoothed down her hair and tied it off in the back in a small bun. She looked very much like a simple bookworm, unlikely to attract any significant attention so long as she acted meekly.

Stepping out, she was surprised to see Widowmaker's makeover. Frenchie had chopped off a good portion of her hair, leaving just enough to meet her shoulders. Without her visor, Tracer could also make out a strong set of bangs. Using special makeup stored in her equipment belt for infiltration purposes, Widow had also given her remaining hair a light brown color, covered up her exposed blue skin, and changed her yellow eyes to sharp blue-green ones, like a cat. She was dressed in black leggings, a white shirt, and a stiff jacket, with a shoulder bag slung over. Tracer could tell that her much sexier look was meant to make up for her pretend shyness.

"You look good, love."

"Don't get used to it."


	7. Chapter 7

Winston was waiting by the small lift that led to the airport. "I've uploaded the tickets and passes needed to cross the border into Switzerland. And Tracer, I have something for you."

Without another word, he took off his glasses and handed them to her.

"What's this, love? Don't you need these?"

"Yes, but I would feel much better knowing that they were in your hands, that a part of me was with you. Besides, if you want to dress like a nerd, you'll need them."

"Oh, Win..."

Widowmaker looked nauseous by the whole display.

"Can we get moving?", she snapped.

"Right. Get in."

Shortly afterwards, the undercover agents reached the terminal where the other students were being processed. Following Winston's instructions, they first went to a group chaperone to be registered.

The man they chose was wearing grey slacks and a university shirt with a lanyard. He held a holo-checker in his left hand.

"Names, ladies?"

"Marie Lefarge and Jackie Weiler."

"Check and check. Says here you're heading to the University of Zurich. Is this correct?"

"Yes."

"Great. Just go through security and head for your flight."

They then shambled off to the nearest security officer. With their Stormtrooper armor and menacing muscles, these were not the kind of people you wanted to mess with.

The officer typed something into the keypad on his wrist before speaking. "Present your tickets and passes individually."

Tracer went first. "Here you are, sir.". Her voice was that of a mouse, with none of the spunk or charm Widowmaker knew from their many encounters. She was surprised that such a joker was so good at hiding in plain sight.

As soon as she was scanned in, Tracer fled behind Widowmaker and squeezed her butt so soothingly that the normally repressed spy almost blushed. "Weird-ass lesbians.", the officer muttered under his breath.


	8. Chapter 8

Just as they started to move along, the officer raised his hand.

"Stop right there. I haven't checked your bags."

Widowmaker and Tracer looked at each other with wary eyes. Their weapons and equipment were stored in their bags and would give them away quickly if the officer found them.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, _monsieur_. Please, go ahead."

Wielding a scanner built into his gauntlet, the officer scanned the bags. Unbeknownst to him, a special lining created by Winston blocked the scanner and made the bags's contents appear only as misshapen outlines.

The officer checked the scanner's results with a look of suspicious, but he gradually shook it off. "You two are cleared."

Sighing deeply, the two agents headed down to the row of streets outside the sonic plane-jet waiting to take them to Zurich. A screen mounted directly above suddenly announced a breaking development in the war between Overwatch and Talon. Widowmaker swung her head in its direction while keeping Tracer from grabbing on to her breasts, lest she rub off the concealer.

"Just this morning, we have reports that an explosion has rocked downtown Bangkok, with numerous causalities and untold levels of property destruction. Witnesses say a man with a bow and another man with a sword were seen exiting the site of the blast seconds before it occurred.

"That must be Han and Genji."

"They seem to be enjoying themselves, no?"

"Why do you care, love? You ain't working for them no more."

"Doesn't mean I've stopped paying attention."

"That so? What about this?"

And with that, Tracer sprung up and kissed Widowmaker. After a brief struggle, she settled in as the warmth of Tracer's lips reminded her of a time long since passed. The two were beginning to straddle each other when the chaperone from earlier stepped over.

"Ladies, please refrain from public displays of affection UNTIL we reach cruising altitude."


	9. Chapter 9

When the flight landed in a hour at Zurich, Tracer and Widowmaker, who had spent the entire time resisting their primal urges, headed straight for the lodge where a room had been booked on their behalf. Once inside, Tracer swept the hallway for bugs and enemy agents while Widowmaker set up a link to Winston.

"Good to hear from you two. Did everything go as planned?"

"Yes. Where is the good doctor's hideout?"

"Athena has informed me that the lab is hidden beneath a factory that made high-powered display watches until it was shuttered for "bankruptcy proceedings". I believe that this was just a smokescreen laid down by Talon to cover up their experiments while they moved them to more secure facilities."

"Do they have any troops in the area?"

"Not that we are aware of, but aerial scans are continuing."

"How do reach the factory?"

"There is an airmail drop directly overhead. I'm confident you can use that in a proper manner. Winston out."

Tracer ducked back in. "We're safe for now, love."

Widowmaker unzipped her case. "Get ready. We depart in two minutes."

Back in their standard outfits, the agents snuck out of the lodge and reached the airfield where mail was still being brought onto the transport.

"How do we get inside that?", Tracer asked.

"By doing this." Before her mind could process these words, Widowmaker stuffed her in an empty bag and swung on top of the craft. Using her spider skills, she slipped through the emergency exit hatch and attached herself to the ceiling. When the lights dimmed, indicating clearance for lift-off, her blue skin and purple suit blended with the shadows and made her invisible.

About half an hour in, she knew it was time. Silently dropping onto the floor, she starting going through the bags, looking for Tracer. She eventually found the girl with holo-letters stuffed in her mouth to keep silent. With the drop door beginning to slide open, the two strapped their bodies together and jumped out, using the sack as a parachute. They landed in the cold snow just outside the closed factory, its fence stamped with a large sign reading "NO ENTRY PERMITTED BY ORDER OF THE CONFEDERATION".


	10. Chapter 10

"Is this the place?"

"Your Winston says it is. Follow me."

With grace and agility, the two jumped the fence and climbed up the old fire escape to a cracked skylight mounted on top. One shot from Widowmaker's rifle burst open the weak glass and her grappling hook let them descend softly onto the interior walkways.

"You think there's a secret entrance or something, love?"

"There must. Look around."

As Widowmaker started feeling the exposed brick walls for a switch, Tracer pushed buttons on a disused console. Suddenly, a hole in the floor opened beneath her to reveal a set of stairs.

"This must be it. Stay behind me, English."

Her rifle cocked and ready to shoot, Widowmaker descended the stairs, Tracer following. The path led them to a large, cavernous laboratory that looked like it belonged in a 1960's action flick, with aging equipment gathering dust and cobwebs and the ancient smell of preservative chemicals filling the air.

Putting her weapon back in its slot, Widow slipped her visor on and looked for any indication of power or electricity. Eventually she spotted a old recording device atop an otherwise barren desk.

A red button marked "ON" lay near its side. Widow pushed it and the recording began.

"September 19th, undetermined year. My name is Dr. George Edison, head of genetic research at Owl Industrial Science, or OIS. Today, I am launching a new project that I believe will revolutionize the world almost as much as the creations of omnics: the first human clones created solely for combat."

"No longer will nations risk the lives and mental health of their citizens by forcing them to take part in fruitless conflict. Now, they will be able to fight with soldiers who never tire, need next to no food, and never hesitate to take a life."

"As we all know, practical cloning technology is still decades away from completion. But I have the next best thing: humans who, by virtue of their physiology, can be conditioned to serve as genetic templates for said clones. The first is a French male of 36 years, brought in fresh from the morgue. By restarting his heart, I can keep him alive long enough to make him into the first of many others."

"I also have several other Europeans, men and women, who come from every ethnic and cultural background imaginable. After all, what's to stop future generations from using this innovative approach to take the next step and grow clones for manual labor, household chores, and other such tasks? That is all I have to say for now. If you're listening, thanks for providing a receptive ear."

As the message began to rewind, Widowmaker had the cold face of, well, a widow. Tracer looked worried.

"What's going on, love? Who's this man he's talking about?"

When she next spoke, Widowmaker's words cut like a knife made of ice. "He's my husband."


	11. Chapter 11

As soon as they returned, Tracer relayed the news to Winston.

"It all makes sense now. I knew Edison was creating monsters, but I never realized how depraved his methods truly were."

"We need to stop him, Win. Where is he?"

"Athena picked up chatter from a Talon base in the Lower Caribbean. It seems that a farm has been established there for the production of biological specimens used in experiments. Chances are, that's where you'll find him. And Tracer, make sure to send a message to that bastard."

"Will do, Win."

Several transfers later, Widowmaker and Tracer were on a cargo flat headed to resupply the farm. Tracer had a series of explosives stored in various pouches on her tights, which she would use to destroy the whole mess before any more beasts could be born. Widowmaker, on the other hand, wanted only to find out if her husband Gerard was still alive. Maybe then she could finally get the forgiveness she needed to leave her old life behind for good.

As they reached the main campus, the two women split up. Tracer began lining the exterior with bombs while Widowmaker began a manhunt for Dr. Edison, driven by rage rather than numbness as she gunned down any guard, scientist, or worker foolish enough to try and stop her.

Eventually, she reached a door labeled "RESTRICTED ACCESS". To her surprise, it slid open as soon as she approached it.

A voice greeted her as she entered. "Welcome to my lab, Agent Widowmaker. Are you here to test my new soldiers?"

"What have you done with Gerard Lacroix, madman? Did he die in the course of your cruel desires?"

"Gerard Lacroix? You must mean Subject One. Yes, he and I know each other very well. After all, I was the one who sent him to his death."

Widowmaker was shocked enough to lower her rifle. "What do you mean?"

"Have you ever wondered how we made you the perfect assassin? What chemicals and drugs we used to slow your heart, scramble your memories, convince you that the man you loved was evil and had to die? If you had, you would have know that it was I who oversaw everything. The abduction, the testing, the rebirth, all of it."

"Your service to Talon was such that they insisted I recreate the experience so they could make an army. I saw in their request a chance to unlock the full potential of humans through cloning. All I needed was DNA strong enough to survive the procedure. And what better DNA than that of Overwatch's newly deceased?"

"Your husband is very much alive. In fact, he's just completed his final test. Would you like to see him again?"


	12. Chapter 12

While she could have shot the evil doctor then and there, Widowmaker knew that doing so would ruin her only chance for redemption. Tossing her rifle and visor aside, she watched as Dr. Edison typed a command into the central computer. A large tank hung directly above opened up, releasing a waterfall of preservative fluid on Widowmaker. When she opened her eyes, a figure stood directly before her.

Much like her, his skin was blue, but his short hair was blond rather than purple. His nude body rippled with muscles and sweat, like a Greek wrestler. His eyes were bright yellow, and aimed squarely at the woman who had once been his wife. He did not speak, but simply grunted as he began to move his feet into a fighting stance.

Widowmaker was stunned. "Gerard? Don't you remember me, Amelie?"

Dr. Edison snorted with derision. "As far as Subject One is concerned, Amelie is dead. All he sees is a enemy who must be destroyed."

And with that, the doctor slipped through a nearby sliding door and vanished. Widowmaker was too distracted to pursue him.

As she tried to think of what to do, Tracer buzzed in. "I'm finished, love. Where's the doc?"

Gerard noticed and began to shift his gaze towards the small Brit.

"No!" Widowmaker stepped in front of her. "English, I need you to access the doctor's computer. See if you can find something, anything, to return this animal back to what he once was."

"What about you?"

"It's me he wants. And it's me he'll get. Now go!"

With that, Tracer zipped over to the computer and started her hack. Widowmaker peeled off her suit, until she stood naked before Gerard.

"It's only fair, beast. Unless you are afraid to fight a woman?"

With that, he lunged right at her. Widowmaker swiftly dodged and started climbing the small vents like a climbing wall.

Gerard did not seem fazed. Rather, he followed her, his movements as quick and agile as hers.

All the while, Tracer continued to work, using every bit of her willpower not to watch as her lover and her ex danced around the room.

Just then, she found a message concerning an emergency antidote stored beneath the console. Grabbing it, she yelled out to Widowmaker, "Get that big lug down here!"

Slipping between her husband's feet, Widow mounted him and wrapped her legs around his neck and back, using the momentum to slowly cut off his air until he collapsed.

Tracer ran over with the syringe. "This's heal him, love. But he won't survive the pain. Are you sure that's what you want?"

Widowmaker nodded. "Do it, English."

Just as Gerard got back on his feet, Tracer plunged the needle in between his arms. Blood sputtered from his mouth as his skin turned from blue to pink to pale.

His mind restored by the shock of death, he gazed upon the woman who now held him in her arms. "Amelie, my love. Why have you done this?"

"To save you, my dear Gerard. Can you forgive me for my crime?"

"If it was to save me, I do forgive you, Amelie. If not, may you never find happiness again."

Overcome with emotion, she bent down and kissed him, tasting his blood in the process.

Suddenly, she noticed that her own skin was returning to its normal color. "Bloody hell, love! You're human again!"


	13. Chapter 13

Several days later, a somber funeral was held at the Lacroix family estate. The tombstone read:

"GERARD LACROIX. HE SACRIFICED EVERYTHING FOR THE WORLD, AND WHEN HE HAD NOTHING LEFT TO GIVE, HE GAVE HIS LIFE."

Across from the grave stood a thin woman in black, Gerard's widow Amelie. Having more or less exorcised the Widowmaker persona from her mind, she was now plagued with terrible nightmares of her crimes, while gradually forgetting the abilities she had mastered as an assassin.

Yet something good had come of all her suffering: Tracer, or as she knew her, Lena. After the incident, Winston had insisted that she stay at the hub for at least a week before he would allow her to undertake a mission. What he didn't know was that Lena had never returned in the first place. Instead, D-VA, whose skill at cosplay made her a talented impersonator, had agreed to take her place so that the real Lena could spend the week with Amelie. The two had formed a close relationship and were even discussing the possibility of marriage, though such a thing would have to take place after Tracer left the service of Overwatch.

"How you doing, love?", asked Tracer as she came up in a little black dress. Even on the saddest of occasions, her spunkiness shown through.

"Better with you beside me, Lena."

"Do you ever know what happened to Doc? The guy who did this to Gerard?"

"I can only hope he perished in the explosion. Even if he's still alive, he's long since outlived his usefulness to Talon."

Lena smiled and happily buried her face in Amelie's bosom. Amelie stroked her hair as the morning sun rose in the distance. At last, she was at peace.


End file.
